Portal:Hyderabad/selected article, month 10, 2009

The Golconda Fort (or Golkonda) Telugu గోల్కొండ, is a ruined city of south-central India and capital of ancient Kingdom of Golkonda (c. 1364–1512).Situated west of Hyderabad, was Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah Wali, the fourth Qutb king.It was the capital and fortress city of the Qutb Shahi kingdom, near Hyderabad. The city was home to one of the most powerful Muslim sultanates in the region and was the center of a flourishing diamond trade.Golkonda was once renowned for the diamonds found on the southeast and cut in the city.At that time, had the only known diamond mines in the world.Some known diamonds of Golkonda are The Koh-i-noor, The Hope Diamond and The Regent Diamond.The fortresses consists of four distinct forts with a 10 km long outer wall with 87 semi circular bastions; some still mounted with cannons, eight gateways, four drawbridges and number of royal apartments & halls, temples, mosques, magazines, stables etc, inside.The architectural grandeur of the magnificent monumental edifice is unmatched in beauty, which it has preserved brilliantly despite being more than four centuries old.Built on a granite hill (120 metre in height), the entire massive fort is the best possible example of architectural planning and its magnificence.

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